In Due Time
by Carlet
Summary: "A brief memory, a wisp really, flashed before her eyes. She remembered her body shaking violently, jumping up and down in an attempt to stay warm before it had grown slow, clumsy, and heavy." Based on the promo for 4x02. Emma is freezing to death in the ice cave; what happens after? Lots of CS fluff.


**Author's note: Oneshot based on the promo for this Sunday. It probably won't happen like this, but hey it's fun to dream right? **

**Disclaimer: If I owned OUAT I probably wouldn't be slaving so hard to get into the English major at school. Hint: it means I don't own anything.. **

Looking back on it, she probably shouldn't have gone chasing after Elsa.

But, well, that was what she did-get herself into all the wrong situations. Including this one, the crazy ass fortress, made of _ice _no less.

* * *

><p><em>She's freezing to death.<em>

Who's voice was that? It was kind of familiar...

Loud, clanging footsteps echoing like basketballs in an empty gym, the sound bouncing all around her.

Where _was _she?

White. All she could see was white all around her. It was kind of like being inside an iPod. Damn, it was bright. Really freaking blindingly bright-she wanted to close her eyes but they wouldn't respond.

How long had she been there?

_Emma! _

I'm right here, she tried to say. But her voice seemed to be on mute.

Why was her mind so slow, her thoughts slogging through like feet trying to move through honey?

_No, no, no not again! _

A blurry face appeared over hers. Her mind slowly catalogued this person's features: pale skin, big eyes twisted into a worried expression, perfectly pink lips, a side braid that she would kill to be able to perfect.

Beautiful and unfamiliar.

_Please don't be dead. _A high pitched female voice warbled. _Please wake up._

Emma opened her mouth to let this person know that she _was _awake but her mouth wouldn't obey.

The female's voice suddenly loudened, blending with a richly accented one, the very one that made her warm from head to toe. But only for a moment.

_I tried to control it, I'm sorry!_

_Move! _The accented voice roared. _Swan! _

Hands slapped at her cheeks. _Emma, love, wake up. _

Someone grasped her hand and then cursed loudly. _It's as cold as ice!_

She was kind of annoyed; couldn't everyone see that she was awake? That she was just paralyzed for some reason?

_We have to get her out of here. _A second male voice said.

A face loomed over hers, etched with a mixture of fury, relief, and worry. _It's alright, Swan, we'll get you out. You'll be fine._

Something was placed over her, something large and heavy that she could barely feel.

_Why isn't she shivering, it's bloody freezing in here._

Shivering. A brief memory, a wisp really, flashed before her eyes. She remembered her body shaking violently, jumping up and down in an attempt to stay warm before it had grown slow, clumsy, and heavy.

Without meaning to, her eyes began to grow heavier and heavier, almost as heavy as her body, and they started to close.

_No! You need to stay awake. _

No thanks, Emma wanted to say. A nice, long nap sounded pretty good.

_David, why isn't she shivering?_

David stared at her for a brief moment. _Severe hypothermia. We have to get her out _now.

And then she was airborne, the blinding white shifting out of view for a moment, her head cradled against something soft. It smelled like rum, the sea, and something she couldn't place, something that was comforting and smelled like home.

_Just stay awake for me, Emma. We'll get you out._

What was going on? She wanted to demand answers, yell out, but she could barely form the words, let alone say them.

_I'm sorry. _Said the female. She sounded close to tears.

_It's ok. _Emma wanted to say. But before she could the white turned to black and she was out.

* * *

><p>She was fine at first. The chill felt almost refreshing as she dashed after Elsa, leaping lightly over ice spikes that appeared out of nowhere, calling that she just wanted to talk. (Though of course that was out of the question, as she really wanted to shake the girl and demand why in the hell she'd created Frosty from hell).<p>

The walkie-talkie had been her first mistake; she'd thought to tuck the gun back into the waistband of her jeans but she'd completely underestimated how Elsa would react to the simple device.

Predictably Elsa had grown more and more flustered, even as Emma threw the walkie talkie behind her, Killian's voice flying a mile a minute from the black device, and held her hands up in the classic surrender gesture, sending all kinds of crazy deja vu thoughts flying through her mind.

They'd argued back and forth for a while, Emma not even realizing what was happening. Her hands, which had begun kneading themselves back and forth with frustration, began to slow down. Her body shook violently, teeth clattering loudly.

"I'm not here to hurt you."

It was ridiculous how unhelpful those words had been.

And some time later she'd fallen. The funny thing was that she hadn't even realized she'd hit the ground until she noticed how pretty Elsa's shoes were. They had little sparkles to match the sparkles on her blue dress, and looked pretty uncomfortable. How did she walk all day in them?

* * *

><p><em>Beep. Beep. Beep.<em>

Emma gradually became aware that she was lying flat on her back atop something soft. Her head was fuzzy, when she turned her head, causing her skin to come into contact with hair, she was startled to find that it was ice cold.

There was an IV in her arm. _They took me to the hospital? _The one thing Emma hated above all was hospitals, a side effect of abusive home after abusive home.

Her eyes flew open, fully intended to convey her anger through her glare but a sharp pain reverberated through her face muscles, causing her to squeeze them shut again.

A hand fluttered over hers. "Swan? Are you awake?"

"No."

"Sure sounds like you are." He teased, but she could detect an undercurrent of worry in his voice.

Holy crap, had he been _worried_ about her? That was a new feeling, actually having people who cared.

She slowly opened her eyes, ignoring the searing pain that came with it. "What the hell happened?"

Killian moved closer to her, scooting in the plastic hospital chair. "You don't know?"

"Ah, right. Rhetorical question." She glared sideways at the IV. "Is that really necessary?" She grumbled. "You should've just taken me home."

"Emma, your lips were _blue. _Your face pale as ice. You weren't responding. What were we to do?"

She knew when she was whipped. "Alright, alright. Where are my parents?"

"Your father's outside right now, arguing with your mother. When she was told of this she nearly reached for her bow and started shooting at us."

"Then why'd you tell her?"

He looked at her, pure astonishment written all over his face. "You nearly died. It was something your mother should've known about.

"Don't be so dramatic. I was fine."

Killian scoffed. "Are you honestly arguing with me over this? You weren't there, you didn't see-" He cut off abruptly. "You know what? Never mind." He stood up and made to move out of the room when her fingers curled around his arm.

_No, no, no! _She hadn't meant to drive him away. "Wait."

He looked back; there was hurt in his eyes, underneath the indignation. "What? You clearly don't care enough about yourself so why should I?"

"I'm sorry."

_I'm sorry. _She'd never really said it before and meant it. "I'm sorry." She repeated. "I know it was stupid and it nearly got me killed."

His expression softened and he sat down. "You were almost gone." He reminded her.

"I know."

"You have no idea how horrifying it was."

_He'd been scared. _"I know, but I'm here now."

"Because you're bloody lucky." He admonished. But he reached down and brushed his lips over hers. It was only for a moment, but it sent shivers down her spine.

A loud yawn bubbled its way up.

"I should leave, let you get some rest. Your parents wanted to see you but I'll tell them you fell asleep."

"Killian, wait."

"What is it? Did you need more of those pain medicines? I can go tell Whale-"

"Nah, I'm fine. Well, actually I'm a little cold."

"Oh, well I think there are some blankets in the closet."

"That's not what I meant." She scooted over in the tiny hospital bed and pulled the blanket back, looking up at him expectantly, suddenly feeling shy.

A mischievous grin crept over his face but thankfully he kept the innuendos that were surely begging to be heard silent. "Are you sure?"

"Mmhm."

Without hesitation he climbed up in the bed behind her. The pillow bent to accomodate the weight of his head, and his arm made its way over her stomach, hugging her close.

"Is this ok?"

At first, her instinct had been to stiffen against him, but it was just so comfortable and warm. And it was Killian. She could trust him. She lo-ok she didn't exactly know how she felt about him yet, and while drugged up wasn't the best time to be pondering that. "Yeah. It is."

* * *

><p>She was dying, she knew it, based on the way her body stopped wracking with shivers, the way she'd lost feeling in her arms and legs. It was getting harder and harder to breathe, and everything was growing fuzzy.<p>

Above her, Elsa was rambling hysterically, trying this and that, shooting her hands in attempts to melt the ice. She'd taken one look at Emma curled up on the ground and backed up with fear, her eyes horrified and wracked with guilt.

"_Just get us out of here! I'm not here to hurt you." She'd said._

"_I-I"m trying." But the more Elsa trembled the colder it grew. _

Emma had read about hypothermia, but had never actually experienced it herself. She'd tried to warm herself up but had only succeeded in making herself more tired.

The funny thing was that she sympathized with Elsa. She knew firsthand how hard it was to control one's magic. If she hadn't been a frozen block of ice she would've been able to tell her that.

Damn this uncontrollable magic. Damn _her. _She was going to die, and it was all her fault. Her stupidity that had caused her to run in here and her inability to save herself.

* * *

><p>She knew she'd told him to be patient. And she'd meant it; given everything they'd both gone through they'd be crazy not to.<p>

But at this very moment, as his thumb subconsciously rubbed over the back of her hand, as her side pressed into his surprisingly soft jacket, as the urge to close her eyes and surrender to slumber grew larger and larger, all she could think of was that she could get used to this.

In due time they'd move forward, go on their first date, kiss some more, hell maybe she'd introduce him to the Disney Captain Hook and have a movie night.

In due time.

Right now she was happy right where she was.

**Author's note: What did y'all think? Like it? Hate it? **


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